Chapter 11

"Where is he?" Victor asked bored as he entered the office where Alex was working. It had been several days since the incident at the warehouse and the vampires showed no signs of movement. This naturally had everyone on edge, well, everyone except Dante who felt like he had lost everything already.

Alex sighed, "He doesn't want to be disturbed." Alex continued to type away on his laptop then rolled over to the printer to fetch a few printed out pages.

"Alex," Victor said leaning against the desk making Alex look up at him, "Where's Dante?"

"In a place where he doesn't want to be disturbed. You know," Alex said turning in his chair to face Victor, "if Nicole had said those things to me, I'd be pretty upset too. It's best to stay out of Dante's way for a while. For our own safety, you see. Trust me."

"I can handle Dante." Victor replied with a small smile. He suddenly remember the conversation he had with Nicole about 'Angry-Dante', even though this wasn't really what he meant, it was close enough. In Victor's eyes, Heartbroken-Dante pretty much was the same as Angry-Dante.

Alex narrowed his eyes before sighing, "You're funeral. He's in Limbo." Victor patted Alex's shoulder and pushed himself from the desk, disappearing into a cloud of black smoke.

"It's not too late Alex." Alex whispered to himself, "It's not too late to resign." Alex nodded, "Once Dante calms down." and Alex continued typing.

***

Victor entered Limbo. The black darkness greeted him as did an entire hoard of bats swarming around. Victor chuckled and placed his hands in his pant's pockets.

"You're secretary is threatening to quit." Victor said looking down at his feet as he traced a line with his foot in front of him. Suddenly all the bats came swarming towards Victor. Without flinching Victor dissipated into cloud before reappearing. Dante standing a few feet behind him, waiting. Victor turned and made a small smile, "You know, I've only ever seen you act once this way and that was when--"

"Do you value your life?" Dante asked. Victor tightened his lips then nodded. Dante couldn't help but smile, "Did Alex really say that?"

"Well, I guess that depends on how you interpret it." Victor rolled on his feet, "He didn't say it directly, more like spoke to himself."

"Then he won't do it." Dante confirmed turning away and began walking.

"She didn't mean it, Dante." Victor called making Dante stop.

"No, she didn't." Dante confirmed, "but she's right."

"How do you determine who's right and who's wrong? It's all a matter of perception. If I told you, you're a monster, you'd say: right back at you. So, why when Nicole does it, it hits it's mark?"

"Because she's human." Dante replied softly.

"Exactly," Victor replied making Dante turn in confusion, "because she's human. She doesn't understand the weight of her words because she doesn't understand what they mean." Victor smiled at an even more confused Dante, "You know the saying, actions speak louder than words? Nicole may have told you that you're a monster, but she messages Alex twenty times a day asking how you're doing, and she calls me at least ten times. In order for someone to understand what they said, they need to experience the aftermath. Yes, she said you're a monster, but she still sees you as someone she cares about. Someone she loves." Dante looked away at Victor's words, "Go and see her, Dante. You both need it."

Dante let out a deep breath and turned to face Victor, "She asks about me up to thirty times a day?" Victor rolled his eyes and exited Limbo through his cloud of smoke.

Because she's human. Victor's words echoed in Dante's ears. Nicole being human was one of Dante's biggest concerns, she doesn't belong in this world. A world of monsters and shadows. There was so much that she didn't know about Dante and he'd rather she didn't find out.

That being said, Victor had a point, he had to see Nicole, even if it meant it was for the last time.

***

The aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans drifted through the air as Nicole entered the small coffee shop on the corner of her street. She's been coming here more and more often. The main reason being that this was were she and Dante met up for the first time. It also where he decided to open up to her and told her a little about his past, and what had she done? She called him a monster.

The question that bothered Nicole was: did that matter to her? Sure he had a psycho for an ex-wife and a strange obsession, but he was successful, good-looking, kind and compassionate, even if he doesn't want to show it. Nicole sighed when her coffee finally arrived. She stared down into the black liquid and thought about how lonely Dante must have been before he met Alex, Dr Cho and even herself.

"Is this seat taken?" A voice above her asked. Nicole looked up to tell the stranger that she was not interested when he nearly jumped back. A hurt Dante stood in front of her. She realised how it must have looked, the girl you liked jumping away from you in fear. Except it wasn't fear, she was just shocked to see him.

"Um, no. Have a seat." Nicole said gesturing to the seat across her, "Can I order you something?"

"No, that's alright, I already did." Dante replied with a grateful smile. Maybe she didn't hate him after all.

The two sat in silence until Dante's café latté finally arrived. Dante picked up his cup awkwardly and took a sip, unsure of how to begin. He was Dracula for goodness sake! Nothing scares him...well apparently not. Dante cleared his throat and looked up at Nicole's innocent eyes. Dante opened his mouth to speak but Nicole beat him to it,

"How've you been?"

"Uh, great, yeah. Thanks for asking." Dante lied.

Nicole smiled then leaned forward crossing her arms on the table, "You know, one thing a doctor has to know how to do, is know when a patient is lying. Why are you lying Dante."

Dante narrowed his eyes, "I didn't lie, I just didn't finish my sentence. I was great-ly...upset"

Nicole looked apologetic, "I'm sorry. I was out of line."

Dante smirked, "No, I think you were right on point." Dante took a deep breath and looked out the window and drummed his fingers on the table. Warm fingers enveloped his hand making Dante look at Nicole.

"Dante--"

"Listen, Nicole. Over the past few days I've realised something."

"And what's that."

"You don't belong in my world." Nicole opened her mouth to speak, "So I think it's best we stop seeing each other for a while." Dante said stopping her.

"I don't understand." Nicole said softy

"My world just got a whole lot more complicated and I don't want to drag you into it. It'd be unfair to you." Nicole pulled her hand back and she tried to look anywhere except for Dante, "Let's stop this, hmm?"

"Dante," Nicole whispered looking up only to see that Dante was no longer there. Nicole sniffed then pushed out her chair to leave. Nicole exited the coffee shop when a familiar voice called for her,

"Hello Nicole."

***

"Dante!" Alex called as soon as Dante arrived home. Alex ran towards Dante, anxiousness written all over his face, not that Dante noticed yet as he told Alex off,

"Not today, Alex."

"No, I think you need to listen to this." Alex said stopping Dante from leaving. Dante looked up at Alex seeing the pity in his eyes. Alex had Dante's full attention.

"What? What is it?"

"It's Nicole--" Alex began, running his hand through his hair.

"Dracula, my love." A voice to the right called out. Dante's eye flashed red and Alex quickly jumped in front of Dante, stopping him by placing his hands on Dante's shoulders. Dante looked up at Alex, irritated.

"Please don't give her the satisfaction of losing control." Alex whispered to which Dante sighed and nodded. Assured, Alex let Dante go and followed him as they headed over to the kitchen where Cleo sat with a glass of wine in hand. Victor standing in one corner, watching her every move.

"There you are!" Cleo exclaimed, "About time you got here." Cleo made to stand and immediately found herself shoved against the wall, Dante pinning her in place. Alex raised his hands over his head is exasperation. He should have remembered that Dante doesn't always do as he is told. Victor slowly slipped out the room, his hands at the ready in case he needed to calm Dante down.

"I thought you told him to stay calm." Victor whispered with annoyance.

"I did! He just doesn't do as he is told!" Alex whispered-shouted back. Victor groaned and stood in front of Alex, clouds beginning to swirl around his hands. Alex looked at the black swirls twirling around Victor's hands before he whispered again, "Don't worry, he'll be fine." Victor breathed out in annoyance.

"I thought I told you to stay away from her" Dante began, his face close to Cleo's with his hand around her throat, claws out.

"Well, technically, I did. I wasn't the one who abducted her." Cleo said innocently with a smile which quickly vanished when Dante tightened his grip around her throat. Cleo began to wheeze, "If you kill me, you'll never find her." she managed to say.

"Oh, don't worry. I will." Dante replied applying more pressure. Alex ran his hand through his hair again. Panic flashed in Cleo's eyes so she did the only thing she could: gathering darkness in her hands she shoved her palms against Dante's chest, making him fly backwards, hitting the kitchen wall. Before Cleo could turn to disappear through the shadows, Victor sent a ball of cloud towards the shadow making it disappear. Cleo turned slowly, her eyes a bright red, fangs out releasing a snarl and claws free from her fingers. She pounced but was tackled from the side by Dante, making them both crash onto the kitchen counter. Cleo twirled free and transformed into a swarm of bats, fleeing to the large windows. Unfortunately she wasn't quick enough as Dante had also transformed and followed her. The two vampires swarmed around each other almost as though in a synchronized dance, or so it seemed to Alex and Victor. What was really happening within the dark swirls was a battle of claws and fangs.

Dante managed to toss Cleo against the wall above the fireplace, making her fall and smash the television before rolling onto the ground. Dante cast a swarm of black toward Cleo which she dodged by stumbling out the way. She reached for the knife in the holster around her thigh and threw it at Dante who, with inhumane speed, caught it and threw it back, piercing Cleo in the heart.

Shocked as to what happened, Cleo looked down at her knife, protruding from her chest. What should have been blood pouring out was instead a stream of black mist. Cleo looked up, and watched as Dante approached her, with fear. Dante kneeled in front of her.

"You seem to forget my love," Dante mocked, "It was I who trained you. I who gave you life. It's only fitting I be the one to take it away." Dante said coldly as his eyes became rimmed with red, a tear slowly rolling down his face.

"All I ever wanted was for you to love me." Cleo whispered.

"I did." Dante choked, "but my love wasn't enough for you."

Cleo began to cough and her eyes fluttered. Dante slowly took ahold of the knife in Cleo's heart before he slowly pulled it out.

"I will always love you." Cleo whispered before she disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. Dante looked down at the floor as he released a sorrowful breath of air. Suddenly Dante began to shake and the room darkened.

"Dante." Victor said as he watched the room darken with wispy clouds and lightning flash around Dante. Dante looked up at the two men before him, anger in his eyes, waiting to be released.

"Dante." Came Alex's soft voice. The room started to brighten again as Dante calmed down. He then got up, looking Alex in the eyes,

"Gear up."